Life, Lemons & LemonDrops

Life, Lemons & LemonDrops

By Greer McVay & Whitnie WileySociety & Culture
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Life, Lemons & LemonDrops episodes

  • Overcoming Part 8 - It’s a Wrap
    In Part 8 of this 8-part series on "Overcoming," Life, Lemons & LemonDrops hosts, Greer and Whitnie, wrap up some of the lessons learned from our guests and their journeys through personal challenges. The sisters reflect on some of the highlights and offer tangible steps that can be taken to help you navigate some of your own "lemons." Sometimes practical, and sometimes powerful, the tools and strategies lie within you and are ready to be deployed when you determine your own time is right. What's held you back in the past does not have to dictate how you overcome challenges as you move into 2021.
    53 min
  • Bonus: Overcoming - It's a Journey
    As we get ready to wrap up the Overcoming series, we have one final guest to share with you. Please enjoy this bonus episode with guest, Alfia Gimenez, as she shares a bit of her story of living with negative self talks and the importance of shifting that to begin living the life of her dreams.
    Alfia Tomarchio is a Dual Certified Life and Health Coach who helps women to feel encouraged, empowered, and inspired. Alfia honors women by helping them create the space for themselves to tap into their own personal power all while discovering their true self-worth. No matter what spectrum of coaching she is teaching, Alfia will always support women by using her 3 Pillars: Self-Love, Self-Worth, and Self-Care. Alfia believes it is crucial for women to honor each of these pillars in their lives daily. Alfia encourages women to feel empowered by working on mindset shifting as well as helping women align with their true wants and needs.
    Over the last three years, Alfia has worked locally in her community to help women transform their lives through her 1:1 Coaching. Alfia leads her own Facebook Group, Aligned with Alfia, where she has created a safe space for women to connect. The site also serves as a creative outlet for Alfia.
    If you would like information on her coaching services, as well as her Facebook Group, send Alfia a note at [email protected].
    Alfia is a co-author of the #1 International Bestselling book Women Who Empower available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/2K946He.
    44 min
  • Overcoming Part 7 - Rising Above My Raisin'

    In Part 7 of this 8-part series on "Overcoming," Life, Lemons & LemonDrops hosts, Greer and Whitnie, welcome guest Jan Edwards who shares her story of a plan ride that changed it all.

    About Jan Edwards

    As a young girl and throughout most of her adult life Jan “played small” (using today’s vernacular). She always started from a place of “no.” Growing up, whether family and friends realized they were doing it or not, and through two failed marriages, she heard messages that she wasn’t smart, she wasn’t flexible, she was too neat and pressed, she was unapproachable, etc., and she took those messages and many more in and owned them as her truth. Looking back, she probably was unapproachable but it was a defense mechanism. If she stayed back and stayed quiet no one would notice her real insecurities and flaws and couldn’t further pile on her.

    Despite how she felt about herself, Jan managed a long and successful career. At least to the outsider and until burnout appeared about 25 year into her career. She was exhausted with her schedule and the endless demands of her job. She was unhappy and unmotivated to take one more step. On a plane ride home one week Jan was at the lowest she had felt and in seat 5c, looking out the window with tears rolling down her face,  she prayed, “Lord, what do I do?” By the time her plane reached its destination, Jan knew she needed to make a change and change she did.

    After numerous conversations with God, time and a new lease on life, Jan began coaching and guiding women to shake off the limitations the world has imposed on them. She helps women tear down the false narratives and beliefs they have of themselves. She knows she was born to help women discover their purpose, their calling, and living in the abundance God is providing.

    Four takeaways from this episode:

    • Know what you want – dream your dream, craft your vision, establish goals, and then go after them. Ask for advice if you need it, but don’t let anyone talk you out of your dream. Believe in yourself and your dream, even if no one else does.
    • Avoid comparisons – focus on what you want to do, be, and have. Your dreams and desires are yours – not your friends, your parents, what we see on social media, etc.
    • Speak kindly to yourself – negative brain chatter slows down your progress. Even when something doesn’t work out like you thought it would, love and praise yourself for what did go right and work on the areas that didn’t go as planned
    • God provides - God will provide everything you need to do what He calls you to do.


      • To learn more about Jan you can reach her at Jan Edwards, PMP, CCT, Invest in Doing You, (303)517-2435.

      Website: www.investindoingyou.com


      Jan is a co-author of the #1 International Bestselling book Women Who Empower available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/2K946He.

      1 hr 10 min
    • Overcoming Part 6 - More Than Mud

      In Part 6 of this 8-part series on "Overcoming," Life, Lemons & LemonDrops hosts, Greer and Whitnie, welcome guest Kate Butler who shares her story of when an emergency heart procedure left her not knowing if she’d live to see the weekend, as she had planned to join a group of girlfriends for a weekend getaway. Kate went from that moment of helplessness to running a thriving book publishing company, to now, running a publishing empire, Kate Butler Books.


      About Kate Butler

      Kate Butler is a #1 International best-selling and Award-winning author and speaker. As a CPSC, Certified Professional Success Coach, she offers clients dynamic programs to help them reach their ultimate potential and live out their dreams. She does this through Mindset, Success and Book Publishing programs. Kate is also the creator of the Inspired Impact Book Series, which has published the titles: Women Who Ignite, Women Who Inspire, Women Who Influence, Women Who Impact, Women Who Illuminate, Women Who Rise, and Women Who Empower.

      Kate received her degree in Mass Communications and Interpersonal Communication Studies from Towson University in Maryland. After 10 years in the corporate world, Kate decided it was time to fulfill her true passion; she then studied business at Wharton School of Business at The University of Pennsylvania, and received a certificate in Entrepreneur Acceleration.

      Kate now brings her expertise to mainstream media where she has been featured as the Mindset and Publishing expert on Fox 29, Good Day Philadelphia, HBO, in the Huffington Post, and various other television, news, and radio platforms.

      To learn more about becoming an author in the Inspired Impact Book Series, or to learn how to work with Kate directly on achieving your goals, or publishing your book (including children’s books), visit her website at www.katebutlerbooks.com. You can also find Kate on Facebook @katebutler or @katebutlerbooks. Her newest collaboration book, the #1 International Bestselling, "Women Who Empower" the seventh in the Inspired Impact Series, is available on Amazon, December 16 at https://amzn.to/2K946He.

      1 hr 5 min
    • Overcoming Part 5 - Taking SCHAPE and Pinky Jabs
      In Part 5 of this 8-part series on "Overcoming," Life, Lemons & LemonDrops hosts, Greer and Whitnie, welcome guest Khalil Sikander, who shares the story of how he maintains his dignity and moral compass regardless of his environment or circumstances.
      About Khalil Sikander 
      Khalil Sikander is native of Brooklyn, New York who now resides in Utah. He is an Afghani American who was raised in a difficult environment inside and out of the home. His love of basketball gave him a path to escape the grips of poverty. He chased his dream of playing college basketball through hard work and sacrifice and was able to make that dream come true and play at the Division 1 level. The first in his family to graduate high school and college, Khalil knows what it means to be resilient and persevere. Through the influence of many great mentors and teachers he learned the importance of education and became a high school teacher and coach. He has now turned his journey of education to the path of speaking in the world of education. Khalil shares his stories and experiences as a youth and as an educator who has endured bullying, harassment, racial injustice, and almost losing his career for saving lives.  His adversity has led him to truly find his dignity and moral compass to overcome his PTSD he continues to endured. He learned that by SCHAPEing others, it will build yours and others dignity. Khalil understands what it means to be the underdog and to never give up through his moral compass.
      SCHAPE is: 
      S-Strength in Spirit
      C-Courage to Communicate
      H-Hustle, Humble and Hungry
      A-Attitude and Approach
      P-Passion and Precision
      E-Energy Effort and Enthusiasm
      Khalil’s message of building a culture of dignity through SCHAPE ranges to all grade levels, he believes that the people that know the students best are the administrators and teachers that see them every day. Khalil approach and dialogues with school administrators about the common themes that the school is practicing so he can address and add or help improve the same positive messages that are brought by its schools leaders that the students listen to and see every day in their school.
      To learn more about Khalil and how you can incorporate his SCHAPE philosophy into your leadership training, visit khalilsikander.com or you can reach him at [email protected].
      1 hr 15 min
    • Overcoming Part 4 - The Definition of a Train Wreck

      In Part 4 of this 8-part series on "Overcoming," Life, Lemons & LemonDrops hosts, Greer and Whitnie, welcome guest Christine Lavulo. Christine Lavulo is a passionate author, relationship and life coach, speaker, and trainer. Christine has been married to her husband, Clawson since 1998. Together they have five amazing sons and one incredible grandson. Her passion is truly helping women have the greatest relationships of their lives with themselves, their spouses, friends, and family, and in their businesses. Christine has worked in the corporate world and has many years as a mompreneur. She knows that the key to success starts with successful relationships. 


      Christine’s passion and love for helping others eventually led her to speaking and coaching. Christine loves empowering women and is a certified Canfield Success Principles trainer, John Maxwell Team member, and Certified Professional Success Coach. She loves adding to her tool belt and currently has certifications in NLP (Neuro-Linguistics Programming), Ideal Life Vision, Transformation Code and Ho’oponopono. Christine combines her personal experiences with her certifications and education to help both individuals and corporations develop better relationships and have better personal and corporate culture. Christine is available as a guest speaker for women’s retreats, conferences and to keynote at corporate events. She also does individual and group coaching.


      In her own words, Christine says: My life has definitely been filled with setbacks, even acknowledging at one point her life was the definition of a train wreck. One of the things I like to talk about is setbacks and failures in relationships.  I was a single mom at 18, had my son a few months before high school graduation. That was a HUGE setback and me and my son's dad did not have a successful relationship. I never like to say "failed" because I don't believe that anything is a failure, just a stepping stone or lesson to be learned. I had another son at 22, new dad, again single mom. Then I married my prince charming but just a few months after 12th wedding anniversary, I moved out and was facing the strong possibility of divorce.  The principles or takeaways in a variety of life situations are basically the same, but I think everything in life is really about relationships-with self, and others-whether bosses, co-workers, clients, family or friends.


      Christine wants you to walk away from this episode with the understanding that:

      • You always have the power to choose the outcome you want by choosing the way you respond to everything that happens (E+R=O)
      • Forgiveness is the key to living a healthy life. When you forgive and let go, (not necessarily forgetting, but learning) you rid ourself of negative emotional baggage. Forgiving is for YOU, not the person being forgiven.
      • If you want to live an amazing life, you have to learn to ask for what you want. Talking openly about what you want or need, not with the requirement of others to meet your expectations, but with the desire to be understood.


        • To learn more about Christine and her services, you can follow her at Christine Lavulo Coaching on Facebook.


        Christine is a co-author of the #1 International Bestselling book Women Who Empower available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/2K946He.

        59 min
      • Bonus: A Different Kind of Holiday

        As we prepare for a new type of Thanksgiving holiday and search for novel ways to celebrate with sequestration, curfews and families unable to visit freely, Life, Lemons & LemonDrops hosts, Greer and Whitnie, ponder answers to questions that have plagued dinner hostesses for generations. 

        Questions like: Can you not serve guests who arrive late? Or can you send a bill to guests who RSVP but then don’t show up? Join us for a boisterous conversation as you prepare your holiday meal or use our topics as conversation starters at your dinner table. 

        Just remember that Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanza are just around the corner so pace yourself and don’t let the debate get too heated.

        Thank you for being part of our extended family! Enjoy your holiday safely and remember, for every lemon life deals, there is a way to turn it into a LemonDrop!

        1 hr 10 min
      • Overcoming Part 3 - Setup for a Comeback
        In Part 3 of this 8-part series on "Overcoming," Life, Lemons & LemonDrops hosts, Greer and Whitnie, welcome guest Faizun Kamal. Faizun is an award-winning franchise coach, nationally renowned public speaker, and best selling author. Her unique style of inspirational coaching coupled with swift doses of tough love encourages clients to embrace chaos, fear, insecurity and uncertainty as doorways of opportunity.
        Faizun’s drive to create significant life changes through entrepreneurship stems from her own personal experience as a corporate refugee. When she was an executive in the high-stakes, high-stress world of corporate America, she found herself living an increasingly unhealthy, unbalanced life with little time for family. In 2015, after almost a decade in corporate America, she got her break in the most unexpected way: by getting laid off. Instead of immediately jumping back in to the job market, Faizun began a deeply introspective journey to intentionally redesign her career, and her life.
        Listen as Faizun retraces her journey from the setback of being laid off to the comeback of living the life of her dreams with her husband and daughter, while running a thriving coaching business.
        About Faizun Kamal
        As CEO of The Franchise Pros, Faizun coaches people nationwide on making the transition from employee to entrepreneur. Her best selling book, “The Right Franchise for You: Escape the 9 to 5, Generate Wealth, & Live Life on Your Terms,” is the guide that thousands of clients have used to find their “perfect fit” franchise! She has helped countless individuals find their perfect fit franchise based on individualized assessments of their personal, lifestyle and income goals. She guides clients to proactively move beyond career burnout to build a sustainable career that they love!
        As a former Fortune 15 Executive with 20+ years of experience in entrepreneurial, corporate, multinational & nonprofit settings on three continents, Faizun tackles the topics of taking responsible risks to create career pivots and strategically making the leap from executive to entrepreneur. Her down-to-earth, self-deprecating humorous style of story-telling has made her an inspirational speaker to audiences worldwide. Her unusual career trajectory has been described by one corporate leader as “strategically coloring outside the (career) lines to leverage opportunities and maximize impact.”
        Faizun’s relatability and authenticity has led her to grow an engaged following of thousands on social media. If you'd like to learn more about Faizun Kamal and The Franchise Pros, you can connect with her on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/faizunkamal or to purchase her book go to https://amzn.to/3nEpbHz.
        Follow Life, Lemons & LemonDrops.
        1 hr 14 min
      • Overcoming Part 2 - From Closet to Bathroom Mirror

        In Part 2 of this 8-part series on “Overcoming,” Life, Lemons & LemonDrops hosts, Greer and Whitnie, welcome guest Kristina Campos. Kristina is the founder of The Impactful Parent, an online community linking parents and caregivers with advice and resources to help make the parenting experience less difficult and lonely. Our conversation followed Kristina’s journey of losing and then rediscovering herself.

        As a mother of four, Kristina found herself one day with a husband who no longer wanted to be married and having to start life over again. Hear her story and the steps she took to not only get in touch with who she was and would become, but to build a business that served her newly rediscovered identity and her family.

        In her own words, Kristina says: I was living my dream. Stay at home mom, married, four kids, and a great teaching job. Things seemed great to me until suddenly my husband told me he wasn't happy. What!? To make matters worse, my children started acting out and my teens were getting increasingly more difficult. Then the bomb- He left. I was devastated. How was I going to do this alone? After many hours (ok- days) of crying in my closet, I had a choice. I could stay crying or I could get up and show my kids their mom's resiliency. I decided on resiliency, however the problem was I didn't recognize myself anymore. I had lived my life for everyone else for so many years that I didn't know who I was anymore. What did I like? What did I want to do?

        Listen as Kristina retraces her steps from crying in the closet to living a life filled with happiness along with her four children…and her ex-husband.

        If you'd like to learn more about Kristina Campos and The Impactful Parent, or find resources and tools you can use on your parenting journey, visit www.theimpactfulparent.com.

        1 hr 3 min
      • Overcoming Part I - Introduction

        Welcome to Part I of the Life, Lemons & LemonDrops Podcast series on overcoming obstacles and challenges. In this first episode, hosts, Greer and Whitnie introduce you to the goals for the series and outline the concept of “overcoming.”

        In this eight part series, which will include six distinct episodes (covering loss, mindset, setbacks, failure, moral compass, and story), as well as this intro and a final wrap-up, you'll hear compelling stories of six guests who have overcome some of life’s most common challenges. In addition to their stories, your hosts will explore resources, strategies and tools that are available for you to address obstacles you may face in your own life.

        Visit the Life, Lemons & LemonDrops website.

        18 min

      About Life, Lemons & LemonDrops

      From the publisher's feed

      Life, Lemons & LemonDrops is about the sweet highs and sour lows and every drop of life in between. Hosts, Greer and Whitnie, along with show guests help you shake and stir your own lemons into…